Fit for the Future offers chance to lose weight, stay in shape

Weight machines squeak along to the sound of upbeat music as both students and teachers work out along each other. It’s Fit for the Future, a club that’s in its second year, providing students and teachers the opportunity to exercise for an hour after school four days a week. The club is the brainchild of Dee Fowler, aerobics and physical education teacher at the main campus. Meeting Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. until 4 p.m. at the freshman campus weight room and cardio room, Fit for the Future offers the chance to get stronger, lose weight, or just stay in shape.

Fowler’s passion is physical education. By creating the club, she hopes to help students make better choices in order to live longer and have a better quality of life. The hour provides time to work on strength and cardiovascular training in a nonthreatening atmosphere.

“I’m not like Jillian on the Biggest Loser,” Fowler said. “I don’t yell and scream.”

According to Fowler, the workouts are as individual as the student makes them. Each member utilizes an “Aerobic Lifting Journal” each day, writing down the number of repetitions on each machine.

“The workout plan is what you want to do, but if you need to help figuring out a plan, I’m more than willing to help,” Fowler said to the group that gathered for its  workout.

Freshman Brittany Baldwin and Barbie Perkins both joined Fit for the Future as a way to lose weight and grow stronger. Neither have a background in sports, but they hope that the club will help them meet their goals and give good habits to continue later in life.

“I want to get fit and stay fit,” Perkins said.

While the club is aimed at non-student athletes in order to give them a place to get in shape, off-season athletes also participate. Juniors Matt Werkley and Kaitlyn Flak both play sports in the spring but are using the hour as a way to get in shape for their seasons.

“Last year I just sat on my butt during this time [fall], but this year I was more assertive and joined to get in shape for lacrosse,” Werkley said.

Flak regularly runs on her own, but the cold weather keeps her inside.

“I like to run outside, but I needed a way to keep my heart rate up and stay in shape when it’s cold,” Flak said. “Plus, I wanted to take advantage of the new weight room.”

Fowler and Spanish teacher Marc Slain began the club during second semester last year, but the workouts only continued for a few months until summer vacation. According to Fowler, there were only about five or six really faithful members, and she hopes to improve on that number this year.

“With about 40 pieces [of equipment], I’d like to see it [the weight room] filled,” Fowler said.